one more post on VHS to DVD

[kisrum]

I've had a low end JVC HR-SW290IU VCR for several years and have only used it sporadically. Output looks okay to TV.

Over a year ago I tried capturing old family VHS tapes to my ATI 9000 AIW. As I think has been reported by other users, playback of some of these home movie tapes looks fine on TV but bad when captured (streaks at top, jumpy, etc). I keep reading that others are just using VCR - DVR combos to do this now.

I'm not obsessed with quality but would like the final product to look about like it looks playing on VCR and TV now. Picnics and softball games don't have to look great.

I would eventually transfer the mpg to my computer, lightly edit with Mpeg Video Wizard, author and burn. I'm not likely to devote the time to Virtual Dub or other editing and filtering applications. Only have about 10 tapes to transfer.

In general do you think I should:
1. buy a vcr-dvr with burner combo;
2. buy a dvr burner and hook it up to my old JVC vcr;
3. grow up, buy a good vcr and TBC and try again with my ATI; or,
4. let a service do it.

I'm leaning to #1. Will listen to reason. Thanks.

[redwudz]

What I have against the VCR-DVR combo is combining a outdated overly mechanical mechanism with a modern DVD recorder. Which do you think will break down and cause you problems and be about impossible to repair? Just my opinion, don't flame me.

I would go for #2. If you get a decent one with a hard drive, you'll never look back to VHS VCRs. If you had a lot of tapes, then a VCR with a TBC or a separate TBC might be in order. I just got a DVR and I love it.

I've been there with #3, I don't need the frustration anymore. I have a ADVC-100 now, and that's worked well.

If the tapes are very valuable to you and you can find a reasonable service, I would definitely look into #4.

[Leoslocks]

When I grow up, I am going to buy a good VCR with a TBC (JVC 9911) and connect it to the Pioneer DVR.

kind of a cross between #2 Nd #3.

I am using a JVC 2902 vcr to transfer ols sVhs tapes. They come out quite nice on the Pioneer but the condition of the tapes make me want a better VCR.

[kisrum]

Thank you both.

If the tapes are very valuable to you and you can find a reasonable service, I would definitely look into #4.

I asked the service guy who transferred my 8mm film to miniDV if he could do VHS transfer and he said sure but "you should go to Target, get one of those Sharp DVRs and do it yourself". Strange.

[FulciLives]

Best "bang" for your buck right now is the Pioneer DVR-531H-s which is a stand alone DVD recorder with a built-in 80GB HDD. You can find this at WALMART for just under $300.00 (I think the price is $296 and some odd cents).

I've been very happy with mine.

However some people think that JVC is better at VHS to DVD than the Pioneer due to the filtering ability built-in which is mostly due to the LSI chipset that JVC uses.

However the JVC is a bit more expensive but you get a 160 GB HDD instead of an 80GB HDD.

Of course you could go with a model of stand alone DVD recorder that does not have a built-in HDD but trust me ... this feature helps out a lot ... especially if you will end up recording from TV which you will end up wanting to do ... at least once you are done with the VHS to DVD stuff.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
With my Pioneer I record to the HDD then to a DVD-RW which I then import to my computer using DVD Decrypter (using FILE MODE). If any editing needs to be done I use MPEG-VCR (if I need to do any editing as sometimes this is done on the Pioneer) then I use TMGPEnc DVD Author to create a final DVD-R that I burn with my Pioneer computer based DVD burner. So far I've been using the same 5 Maxell DVD-RW discs over and over again for something like 3-4 months now.

[kisrum]

Thanks, I'll have to see what WalMarts return policy is.